Former Rivers state governor and current minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi has turned down an award from his successor in office, Governor, Nyesom
Former Rivers state governor and current minister of transport, Rotimi Amaechi has turned down an award from his successor in office, Governor, Nyesom Wike. This is not surprising considering that shortly after his emergence as governor, Wike set up a judicial panel of inquiry to investigate the state’s finances under Amaechi’s watch. The probe panel would go on to indict Amaechi of mismanagement of public funds and recommend his prosecution.
The former governor challenged the validity of the proceedings in court but lost and thereafter appealed the decision. The Court of Appeal however recently held that Governor Wike had constitutional powers to set up a panel to investigate his predecessor.
In a surprising turn of events, the Rivers state government this week revealed that it would honour Amaechi as one of 29 illustrious persons to be celebrated in the course of the state’s anniversary celebrations.
The transport minister however turned down Wike’s award and urged the governor to publicly apologise to him for accusing him of being the owner of the sum of $43 million recently discovered in an Ikoyi apartment by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission or face the wrath of the law.
Excerpts of Amaechi’s statement regarding the award read:
“Firstly, the purported award itself is a contradiction of monumental proportions, a contradiction that can only come from a warped and perverted mind. From day one as governor, Wike has made it his sole, one-point agenda to attack, abuse, insult and falsely denigrate Amaechi, his immediate predecessor and erstwhile benefactor.
“Since he became governor, Wike spends most of his time making reckless, deeply irresponsible, malicious, false allegations against Amaechi, as he attempts, albeit fruitlessly, to malign and destroy the outstandingly superb performance and legacy of Amaechi in Rivers State.”
Amaechi further said it would be indefensible for him to receive an award from a man-child who sits in Government House that is directly or indirectly responsible for the present deplorable state of sufferings, economic and infrastructural decay, violence, crime, insecurity, kidnappings and killings in Rivers State.
Amaechi in the statement stressed that Wike must go to court to prove his claims that the money found in the Ikoyi apartment was stolen by the transport minister or tender a public apology.
